I Killed the King With My Lies

..August 2006 New York..

Torchy Taboo is a long time burlesque performer from Atlanta. She often works with fire and is known for her elaborate costumes.

She was in New York the summer of 2006. We made detailed plans to shoot in the late summer.

On a random Thursday afternoon, I got a call from Torchy saying she was leaving New York in 4 hours and wanted to shoot now. But I had to drive to her Port Authority bus terminal right after because she had to make a 4PM bus to Atlanta.

She had moved out of her place and was staying in friend’s living room in the Village. “We can take the photo in the living room…” she explained.

I left right away, hit traffic, parked the car, 3PM. Knocked on the apartment door and a tiny woman with a Southern accent answered, Torchy. 5 minutes to take a photo in a strangers living room.

Than take her suit case to my car and rush to Port Authority. Get to the bus terminal, she rushes out with her suit case, disappears into a crowd of frantic travelers, never saw her again.

So much for the elaborate details of a planned shoot. Turned out to be an unexpected good shot. Burlesque personalities.

This portrait was edited out late in the process. Was a tough choice. It wasn’t shown in the original Striptease Burlesque exhibition shown in Tokyo.